


The call of ColdHarbour.

by Evenings_Dawn



Series: Azirina's adventures [2]
Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Aftermath of Violence, Blood and Gore, Coldharbour (Elder Scrolls), Daedra Worship (Elder Scrolls), Rituals, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:34:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27064963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evenings_Dawn/pseuds/Evenings_Dawn
Summary: The first story of Azirina Kharabbi. How she becomes the Khajiit that falls in love with Farkas. A explanation for why she is in Skyrim.
Series: Azirina's adventures [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1970296
Kudos: 3





	1. First steps

**Author's Note:**

> Bold text refers to when a Daedric Prince speaks.

Azirina sat, playing with a doll that the sailors her village traded with had brought for her. The Kharabbi village of Elsweyr was often avoided by travellers and other Khajiit. But they had the best spices and silks in the land so this ship traded with them. And they adored her, bringing little extras for her. As she sat, her father leant against the altar she was sat upon, speaking to a dark elf. 

"Well, what is it that you want? You have mewled and whined like a newborn for the attention of this one. Yet, now that you have it, you fall silent." Her father growled. He was a tall Cathay-raht Khajiit, with piercing blue eyes and fur as black as a starless night. He was also the leader of their village and chief priest. His impatience was clear, which is what made her look at him. 

"I have come to offer our lord a gift." The dark elf before her father said. "My daughter. She has agreed to serve our lord Molag Bal as a daughter of ColdHarbour. Surely, you do not wish to disappoint our Lord, Ri'siri." Azirina turned to look at her father when movement in her peripherals caught her attention. Near a doorway, blue fire flickered, making her stand and walk towards it, dropping the doll. 

"Khajiit would rather offer Khajiit." She heard her father say as she stepped through the doorway. Energy rushed around her as she left her home and came to a new place. The sky burned above her, black sludge made up the land she walked on. Screams and wails filled the air. Although she had never been there, she knew where it was. This was ColdHarbour. The realm of their lord. She slowly began to walk through the realm, heading down a path. 

The soul shriven of the realm stared at her as she walked by, her ears flicking back and forth. The tortured wailed as they saw her. 

"Why?! Why show us this child?! Why must you torment us?!" They cried out. The Dremora of the realm turned as they heard their victims wail. The froze as they saw the child walking through their realm. 

"A child? How did a child get here?" One growled. 

"Is it another one of our Lord's tricks?" Another demanded. She smiled, waving at the Dremora before carrying on. She wasn't sure how long she walked for. Time didn't seem to flow here. She paused as she saw a soul shriven sitting by a fire, a pot upon his head. He stared as he saw her. 

"Hello! Why, I haven't seen a cat person here before. What's your name little one?" He asked. 

"This one is called Azirina Kharabbi. What can this one call you?" She asked, bowing before him. 

"I am Sir Cadwell. It is an honour to meet you. But what are you doing here? You are far too young to be a daughter of ColdHarbour. At least, I hope you are. And you don't look like a soul shriven." He asked her as she sat beside him by the fire. 

"This one came through a door. It was glowing." She said. The soul shriven turned to her. 

"Wait ...you came from Nirn? You're not deceased?" He asked her. 

"This one does not think so. This one still has a heartbeat." She replied. Her hand was over her own chest, feeling her heartbeat.

"So you are alive. That is remarkable. I haven't seen a live person pass through here before. And never thought it would be one so young." He exclaimed. She tilted her head as she looked up at him. 

"Is that why all keep staring at this one?" She asked. They both jumped as a particularly loud wail echoed through the air. 

"Sounds like Molag Bal is really going at Mannimarco today." Sir Cadwell noted. Azirina looked at him before standing. The pot headed soul shriven looked at her. 

"This one wants to see her Lord. It will make the father of this one happy." She said. He looked at the small Khajiit as she took off in the direction of the wail, unable to say anything to stop her. 

Blue fire lit the path as she walked towards the wail. It continued, wavering only slightly but never fading. She walked along a black stone path, the edges of her tunic blowing in a darkened wind. It was then she came upon it. A large wheel, dark with decades of blood and spiked. She walked towards it slowly, jumping as a pale elf with white hair raised their head. 

"Why? Why do you torment me so? Is this an image of one of my victims? Why, Molag?!" He wailed. His eyes were turned up to the sky. She slowly turned, following his gaze and froze. Though his back was to her, she immediately recognised him as the Lord her village served. The Daedric prince of Domination and brutality. Molag Bal. 

"Child, I do not know if you are a vision." Her ears flicked, as she turned back to the elf. "But if you are not, do not follow my path. Learn from my mistakes." 

"You…." The elf turned to look at her. "Who are you?" The elf's eyes widened and he began to yell out. 

**What are you carrying on for Mannimarco? This torture has barely begun.** She turned and looked up as the great Daedra began to turn. 

**And what is all this about a child? Children have no place here in ColdHarbour. They are too weak. They could never survive….** He trailed off as he finally spotted her. In an instant, Azirina bowed low, feeling those cold white eyes fixate upon her.

"My lord. This one is honoured to finally meet you." She said. She stood up straight, watching as he leaned closer, lowering his hand until she could step into his palm. After awaiting a confirmation from him, she quickly climbed into his hand.

**How did you get here? What is your name?** He seemed as dumb struck as the other Dremora of the realm. He looked at her, holding her up so that she was on level with his face. 

"This one is called Azirina Kharabbi my lord. This one came through a door that glowed." She explained. She turned back and looked at the elf. 

"My lord, who is that?" She asked, pointing at him. Molag glanced at Mannimarco then back at her before laughing. 

**You honestly do not know?**

"No, my lord." Her ears flicked as the elf wailed more.

**Oh, little kitten. You have just inflicted more torture upon him than I ever could. Do you hear that Mannimarco? The new generations do not even know your name. You have been forgotten in the pages of history!** He cackled, bringing a finger up to rub between her ears. **Azirina, that is your name correct?**

"Yes my lord." She nodded.

**Well, you have just proven your family's continued loyalty to me. I will have to reward them. Now, tell me, what do you know about my realm?**

The entire village was in a panic. No one could find her. Her mother had searched the wilderness with the other Senche-raht of the village. But they had not found anything. 

"The elf must have taken her!" One yelled as they gathered around their leader. 

"Please! Be calm! We will find her! She cannot have gone far!" Their leader pleaded.

"This is your daughter Ri'siri! We have to find her! Who knows what ..." Another cried.

"This one knows! And we will find her!" Ri'siri snapped. 

Everyone froze as the sound of a portal opening. Slowly, everyone turned as a gate to ColdHarbour opened. A large, pale blue hand reached through, fist closed around something. Slowly, the hand unfurled to reveal….

"Papa! Mama!" Azirina cried out as she reached out for them. Ri'siri and her mother, Inorsi, ran towards her. He lifted her from the hand, hugging her close as her mother nuzzled her. 

"Azirina! Where have you been?!" He cried. 

**Your daughter was visiting my realm Ri'siri.** Everyone bowed as Molag's voice echoed through the village. 

"My lord. Words cannot Express our relief that you have returned her to us." Ri'siri replied. 

**Hmm. I don't know how she survived in my realm. But the fact she did is promising. Therefore, I want you to prove your loyalty to me. Ri'siri, there is a ceremony that will promise your daughter to me. Perform it and prove you are the most loyal of my followers.** Everyone in the village froze as Ri'siri glanced at her. 

"Of course my lord." He said. The hand receded back as they all slowly stood. The portal closed as everyone turned to look at her. 

"Well…. It appears we have a ceremony to prepare for." Inorsi said. 


	2. Failed fleeing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ritual begins. But fate has other plans in mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The dunmer mentioned in this and the previous chapter are original characters of Obsidian Dovahkiin on tumblr or Ash_Pendragon on here. Go and check out their work. They also came up with the chant.

A week had passed since their Lord had made the declaration. In that time, the village worked tirelessly to prepare for the ceremony. Azirina watched as several Khajiit ran past, carrying silks and metals. The village hall was being made presentable for the ceremony, banners and silks being hung from the rafters. 

Her father was sat behind her, murmuring the chant he would need to perform. His second in command, a Cathay named Vasava, practiced the chant that would need to open the portal. Inorsi lay, Azirina between her front paws, as she groomed her. 

"Mama. What is happening?" She asked her. 

"You have been chosen, my starlight." Inorsi explained, pausing in her grooming to look her daughter in the eye. 

"Chosen?" Azirina repeated, her ears laying flat against her head. Inorsi smiled as she nuzzled her daughter. 

"Yes, sweet starlight. By our lord. He has given us the greatest honour by choosing you as his bride." She explained. "No other being in Nirn has been known to have this honour." 

"But….why?" Azirina asked, confusion clear on her face. Inorsi frowned briefly before placing her forehead against her daughter's. 

"This one does not know why. We may never know. But we trust our lord. Come now, we must finish getting you ready." She said before resuming grooming her kitten. Azirina opened her mouth to speak but soon shut it when she realised her mother was no longer going to answer her questions. 

Day slowly succumbed to night, the stars glowing in the darkness as she was carried from her home to the main hall. A low chanting filled the silence of the room, the very air seeming to crackle with electricity. Azirina was placed on the altar in the centre of the room, with silks and fabrics draped over her. Bowls of moon sugar and other foods were placed around her, jewels and precious stones glinted in the flickering flames. 

The chanting slowly stopped, a dull hum filling the air as her father stepped forward. 

"We are gathered here tonight for a momentous occasion." He began. "Our lord, Molag Bal, has seen to give us the greatest of honours. He has chosen one of our own, my sweet daughter Azirina to be his bride." He explained to the gathered worshippers. Azirina looked around, pausing when she saw a purple haired dumner at the back of the room. She waved briefly before her father stepped before her. 

" _Oh great Molag Bal. All nature vibrates with your dark energies. And Nirn is bathed with unlife and pain. Now is the time of forgetting false lords and masters. Now is the time of purification._ " Her father began to chant. The villagers around them hummed and bowed their heads as the flames turned blue.

" _Oh great lord; Burn away the unuseful, the weak, the cowards. Everyone will submit to your glorious power._ " Ri'siri continued. With a crackle of thunder, a portal to Oblivion opened behind her, chains slowly creeping out.

"Papa?" Azirina asked softly before crying out in pain. She grasped her left shoulder, feeling something burning into her flesh. She looked back to see a mark burning into her skin as if branded.

" _Lord Molag Bal, we offer you this pure soul. This soul that has tread in your realm and survived. May you use her to merge the realms and bring eras of your reign forth. May you…._ " Ri'siri suddenly stopped chanting with a sickening gurgle. Azirina looked back in horror as her father dropped to his knees before her, an arrow piercing his throat as he choked on his own blood.

Chaos erupted in the hall as figures dressed in black armour charged in. The portal quickly shut, having lost its source of energy. Azirina was scooped up by Vasava and placed on Inorsi's back as members of the village were slaughtered. 

"Get her out of here Inorsi!" Vasava yelled. "She must survive!" He grunted as a arrow struck his shoulder before turning and running at an approaching soldier. Inorsi sprinted from the hall, heading out of the village. Azirina looked on in terror as villagers she had grown up with were butchered. 

Those that hadn't been cut down immediately threw themselves at the strangers with yells.

"It is the Thalmor! Keep them away from the child!" Screams as buildings burned and other Khajiit were slain filled her ears. But Inorsi still ran, weaving through the stone valley. Until a sharp pain hit Azirina's ears. She fell back from her mother, hitting the ground hard.

Something warm and wet trickled down her head, making her reach up and see blood on her fingers. She tentatively touched her ears and shrieked, feeling ragged skin where her earrings had once been. The jewellery now lay on the ground, a thin strand of material looped through them. Azirina scrambled to get away as men on horseback approached, only to be yanked back. 

"Check her for the mark! They nearly completed the ceremony! She must be marked!" One of them ordered. Despite her struggles and writhing, Azirina was flipped onto her front and the neck of her tunic yanked to one side.

"By the three, she bears it!" Someone gasped. 

"We have no choice. Any Daedric worship is forbidden. She must be killed." The first voice spoke. Azirina looked in fear, her body paralyzed as one of the elves raised a blade. Only to yell out as a shadow hit him. Inorsi roared at the remaining Thalmor, her claws digging into the throat of her first victim.

"Run, sweet starlight!" She roared before charging at the others. Azirina scrambled to her feet, fleeing the scene and sprinting across the barren lands. As she fled, she heard the agony filled howl as her mother was slain. But she did not stop. She kept running throughout the night and into the day, despite the pain her body felt.

The young Khajiit ran and ran. She only stopped when she reached a harbour, sneaking aboard a cargo ship. She slipped into the hold and hid amongst the barrels and crates. Only when she felt the gentle rock of the waves did she finally let her emotions go. She wept for her family, for her home. The ship carried on, sailing towards Skyrim. A new land, a new start. And the beginning of many adventures.


End file.
